Photographic apparatus for arming percussion-ignitable flash units



United States Patent Inventor Clarence W. Van Dueer Rochester, New York Appl. No; 767,097

Filed Oct. 14, 1968 Patented Nov; 3, 1970 Assignee Eastman Kodak Company Rochester, New York a corporation of New Jersey PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS FOR ARMIN G PERCUSSION-IGNITABLE FLASH UNITS 5 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

U'.S. Cl. .Q 95/11, 431/93 Ill. 1 G03b 17/00, G03b 15/04, F21k 5/02 Field of Search 95/1 1; 431/92, 93

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,439,992 4/1969 Shaffer et al 431/93 FOREIGN PATENTS 813,360 5/l959 GreatBritain Primary Examiner-John M. l-loran Assistant Examiner-ML. Gellner A ttorney- Robert W. Hampton and John D. Husser ABSTRACT: A photoflash unit having percussion-ignitable flash lamps and individual, preenergized strikers is provided with disarming latch members for each striker which prevent accidental release of the strikers. The disarming members have cam portions associable with photographic apparatus for moving the latch members to an inoperative position upon mounting of the flash unit on the apparatus. Apparatus is disclosed for cooperating during mounting of such units to arm the unit for selective release of the strikers. The disarming members are resiliently urged to their operative position so that unreleased striker elementsare again disarmed upon removal of the flash unit from photographic apparatus.

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Sheet IV of 3 INVENTOR. I

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Sheet 2 of 3 FIG.4 f

INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEYS f CLARENCE w. VAN DUSER PI-IOTOGRAPIIIC APPARATUS FOR ARMING PERCUSSION-IGNITABLE FLASH UNITS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Flash Unit Having Contact-Actuatable, Preenergized Strikers and Photographic Apparatus Using Such Units filed Oct. 11, 1968, in the names of Joseph V. Poweska and Jeffrey R. Stoneham.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention I The present invention. relates to flash photography and in, particular to photographic apparatus for use with percussionignitable flash units.

2. Description of the Prior Art Recently, in order to obviate the necessity for providing an electrical source and circuit in photoflash apparatus, a percussion-ignitable photoflash lamp has been developed. One such percussion-ignitable flash lamp is disclosed in US. Pat. application Ser. No. 765,930, entitled Multilamp Flash Unit" filed Oct. 8, 1968, in the name of David E. Beach. Such units in general employ lamps having an envelope containing a combustible material such as shredded zirconium foil and a combastion-supporting gas such as oxygen, sealed in the envelope at a pressure of several atmospheres. A percussion-.activatable ignition tube is provided at the bottom end of such lamps, with the top of the ignition tube opening into the lamp envelope and the bottom end of the tube closed and extending outside the envelope to a location suitable for percussion striking. The ignition tube contains an anvil rod coated with percussion-sensitive material such as a mixture of zirconium and fulminate; and, upon striking of the tube the material is activated and ignites the combustibles in the envelope through the open end of the ignition tube.

Another type of percussion-ignitable photoflash unit is disclosed in US. Pat. application Ser. No. 766,751, entitled Percussion-lgnitable Flash Unit Having Contact-Actuatable, elements Preenergized Strikers and Photographic Apparatus Using Such Units", and filed Oct. ll, i968 in the names of Joseph V. Poweska and Jeffrey R. Stoneham. The flash unit disclosed in this latter application employs percussion-igniteble flashlamps of the type described above; however, this unit includes individual preenergized striker elements for the flashlamps, which elements are selectively released by actuating mechanism in the photographic apparatus using the flash unit and move into contact with an ignition tube of their associated flashlamp to fire the flashlamp.

As disclosed in the latter-mentioned application, it has been found desirable to maintain the striker elements in an energized position by dislodgably restraining the elements with a protrusion on the unit base. Actuation of such restrained elements is effected by structure in photographic apparatus which moves to raise the striker free of the protrusion and the spring restoring forces of the striker then move the striker into percussion impact with its associated flashlamp. With this type oi flash unit a problem exists in that the striker elements can be dislodged accidentally from the restraining means while the flash unit is not mounted on apparatus and causes unintentional firing of lamps.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION The present invention is addressed to the problem outlined above and provides photographic apparatus and/or socket means for photogrsphicappsratus which have means associable with disarming means oftlash unltsto render the disarming means inoperative and thereby arm the flash unit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved photographic apparatus and/or socket means whichinclude means for arming a percussion-ignitable flash unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art in the following detailed description read in conjunction with the attached drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate like elements and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one flash unit and photographic apparatus, in this instance a camera, which embody the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a flash unit,

FIG. 3 is a top view of a socket adapted for use with the flash unit of FIG. 2 and showing a feature of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3 with the flash unit in FIG. 2 mounted on the socket shown in FIG. 3 and with portions removed for illustration;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a flash unit;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a socket adapted to receive the flash unit shown in FIG. 5 and showing another feature of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the socket of FIG. 6 taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the flash unit in FIG. 5 taken along the lines 8-8 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of portions of the flash unit shown in FIG. 5 mounted in the socket shown in FIGS. 6 and FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another flash unit feature which can be incorporated in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. II is a view of a modified retaining member which can be used in accordance with the present invention.

- DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. I one embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically as employed on a photographic camera I. The camera I is of known type and the camera film advance lever 2, shutter release lever 3, viewfinder 4 and picture-taking opening 5 can be seen in FIG. I. Because photographic cameras having means to successively index and ignite received flash units are well known in the art, the present description will be directed to elements of such apparatus which form a part of or cooperate more directly with the present invention, particular elements not shown or described being understood to be selectable from those known in the art.

In FIG. 1 it can be seen that the camera I also includes a socket 6 in which is mounted a flash unit 7 with percussion-ignitable flash lamps 8 and spring striker elements 9 dislodgably retained in an energized condition by lugs 10 in a manner described in more detail in the forementioned Poweska and Stoneham application. It can beseen that the housing of camera I also includes an actuating opening 12 which is aligned with an access opening 13 in the flash unit 7 when the flash unit has been received and indexed by the socket 6: A portion of the disarming means 14 of the present invention can also be seen in FIG. 1 moved to its inoperative position which will be subsequently described. I

Referring now to FIGS. 2-4 the specific construction and cooperation of one embodiment of camera socket and flash unit of the present invention will be described.

In FIG. 2 the flash unit I can be seen to comprise a base 20 on which are mounted percussion-ignltable flashlamp 21 with ignition tubes 22 of the type described in more detail in the aforementioned Beach application. Also mounted on the base 20 in the flash unit are striker springs 23 whicheach include a U-shaped torsion drive portion 24 extending upwardly from the base in the central portion of the unit, a restraining arm and striker element 25. The restraining arm 26 is secured to the base 20 and the striker element 25 is dislodgably restrained in a stressed condition by an upwardly portion 27 of towards the ignition tubes 22 of their associated flashlamps 21. An access site 28 is provided in the base 20 beneath each of the striker elements 25 in their energized position so that an actuator element P can move from photographic apparatus and upwardly dislodge the striker element 25 from its restraint by portion 27. The striker elements 25, when so released, are moved into percussion impact with a respective ignition tube by restoring spring forces and ignite the flashlamp 21 associated therewith.

In accordance with a novel feature of the present invention, a disarming member 30 is provided for each striker element 25. Each disarming member 30 is located in an opening 31 in the base 20 and resilient webs 32 located in the openings 31 connect each member 30 to the base. The members 30 each have a latching portion 33 within the flash unit I which is constructed and located to hold striker elements 25 from upward movement over their restraining portions 27. The webs 32 resiliently urge the latching portions 33 to an operative latching position over the strikers as shown in FIG. 2. Each disarming member 30 also includes a cam arm 34 which is located on the opposite side of the base 20 from the latching portion 33 and is constructed with a cam surface 35 adapted to be contacted by mating structure on photographic apparatus when the flash unit is mounted on such apparatus.

Referring now to FIG. 3 a socket 40 which is adapted to cooperate with the flash unit I described above is shown. The socket 40 has a central stabilizing stud 41 adapted to mate with a post of the type shown in FIG. 8 on the bottom of the base 20 and resilient retaining fingers 42 which are adapted to detachably retain cooperating structure of flash unit I in the socket. It can be seen that the socket 40 also is provided, in accordance with the present invention, with a plurality of depressions 43 each having a ramped surface 44 adapted to cooperate with the cam surface 35 on cam arm 34 of a disarming member 30.

By referring to FIG. 4 it can be seen that when the flash unit I is inserted into socket 40 the contact between surface 35 of latch member 30 and ramped surface 44 of socket depression 43 cause the latch member 30 to pivot clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 4, against the bias of webs 32. This rotation of the members 30 causes latching portions 33 to move away from striker elements 27 so that the elements 25 can be selectively moved upward and dislodged from restraint of portions 25 by actuation of element P in the associated photographic apparatus.

It will be appreciated that upon removal of the flash unit I from the socket 40, the resilient restoring forces of webs 32 will return the latch members 30 to their original latched positions shown in FIG. 2 and that any unreleased striker elements 25 will again be disarmed by the latch portions 33 moving thereover. In the embodiments disclosed herein the webs 32 are formed as integral portions of the base 20 and have a diamond-shaped cross section; however, it will be appreciated that separate elements can be used to mount and bias the disarming member on the flash unit base.

Referring now to FIG. -9, another embodiment II of flash unit and socket incorporating the present invention will be described. In FIG. 5 it can be seen that flash unit 11 is similar to the flash unit I in that flashlamps 61 having ignition tubes 62 are mounted in a circular arrangement on base 60 with individual reflectors 69 for each flashlamp 62. In this embodiment, however, the striker springs 63 are mounted along the outer walls of the flash unit with the torsion spring portions 64 extending upwardly in corners of the unit. Again, the springs 63 have striking elements 65 and a restraining arm 66 with upwardly extending portions 67 which hold the striker elements 65 in a position urged by torsion spring portions 64 toward the ignition tubes 62, and over access sites 68. The striker elements 65 are releasable upon upward movement over portions 67 by a suitable plunger P entering the unit II at an indexed access site 68.

The flash unit II also is provided with disarming members 70 which are supported in openings 71 by resilient webs 72. Again, the disarming members 70 include latch portions 73 extending over energized striking elements 65 and a cam arm 74 with a surface 75. It will be noted that in this embodiment the base 60 is provided with downwardly extending skirts 76 which protectively surround the cam portions 74 of the disarming members 70. I

The socket 80 which cooperates with the flash unit II is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and can be seen to include a control and stabilizing stud 81 and retaining fingers 82. The socket 80 is also provided with depressions 83 for seating lower portions of disarming members 70 and their protective skirts 76 and have ramped surfaces 85 which, upon insertion of a flash unit II, are adapted" to contact surface 75 of cam arm 74 and rotate the disarming members 70 to an inoperative position as shown in FIG.-9. In this socket embodiment actuating openings 88 are provided in a position to be aligned with the access of sites 68 in the flash unit base when the flash unit is mounted on the socket.-

It will be appreciated that when the unit II is inserted in socket 80, the surfaces 85 of the socket contact and rotate the disarming members 70 to an inoperative position as shown in FIG. 9 and that upon removal of the flash unit II from the socket 80 the resilient webs 72 return the disarming members 70 to their operative position with latch portions 73 retaining the striking elements 65 from upward movement and release.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment in which the spring 90 has striking element 91 formed with a downwardly extending portion 99 which is located in an enlarged access site 98 so as to be readily sensible from the flash unit exterior. Suitable sensing mechanism can be provided on photographic apparatus to detect the presence of an energized striker element and hence the condition of the related lamp. Upon actuation of the striker element 90, the downwardly extending portion 99 also serves to control the plane of firing movement of striker element 91 as it rides on the planar surface of the unit base.

FIG. 11 discloses disarming member 100 which has a modified latching surface 101 that can be provided to obtain a more positive retention of striker elements 104. In FIG. 11 it can be seen that the surface 101 is formed with a slightly negative angle to provide increased safety against accidental release of a striker 104. In this manner an increased clearance also can be provided between the latch portion 101 and the striker element 104 to facilitate return of the disarming member to its proper operative position after insertion and removal from a socket.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Iclaim:

I. Photographic apparatus for use with flash units of the type having a percussion-ignitable flashlamp, a striker restrained in a spring-energized condition spaced from said lamp and means for preventing release of said striker from said spring-energized condition, said apparatus comprising:

a. means for detachably mounting such flash units; and

b. arming means, cooperable with the release-preventing means of such units, for rendering the release-preventing means of such units inoperative upon mounting said units on said mounting means.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said arming means includes a cam surface associable with such releasepreventing means to move such release-preventing means to an inoperative position.

3. A socket mountable on photographic apparatus for receiving flash units of the type having a percussion-ignitable flashlamp, a striker restrained in a spring-energized condition and means for preventing release of said striker from said spring-energized condition, said socket comprising:

a. means for detachably receiving and supporting such flash units; and

b. arming means, cooperable with the release-preventing means of such flash units upon receipt of the units on said having latch means for normally preventing movement of the striker, said apparatus comprising:

a. means for detachably mounting such flash units; and b. arming means, cooperable with the latch means upon attachment of the flash units, for rendering the latch means inoperative to prevent movement of the striker. 

